One Path, Many Options
We offer a range of retreats, including Introductory Weekends every other month, Silent Meditation Intensives every other month, and Weeklong Retreats approximately four times a year for a deeper dive.
Whether you’re new to meditation or you want to get back to it, get going with one of the Ease In weekend retreats. If you feel ready for a little more intensity, look for On Path retreats that fit with your schedule. If you’re ready for a deeper dive into meditation, mindfulness and working with silence, check out the Deeper Dive options. We’ll be ready to welcome you back.
ON PATH
Silent Meditation Intensive: The Cradle of Loving-Kindness
As you contemplate attending a retreat or wonder whether it’s a good fit, feel free to reach out to Loden with any questions or concerns.
What People are Saying
“I have mobility issues which make it hard to walk or climb stairs or sit for very long. [Drala] Mountain Center staff made it very welcoming for me, and I had no problem completing the week-long program. It was hard but valuable for me to meditate so many hours a day. I look forward to making this my regular retreat “home.” I want to encourage anyone who has a hard time physically getting around to know that DMC will work their best to make it possible for you to participate and be comfortable as you renew and strengthen your practice.” Ellen, Fort Collins, CO
“[Drala] Mountain Center was the perfect place to practice this style of shamatha. Why? Because the physical space is so open and alive. When I mixed my mind with space in the shrine room I found it traveled right outside and mixed with all the space of the land. This was especially true when I chose to sit on the veranda and practice outside. My heart just got really comfortable being open. Now that I am home, I find that familiarity with that space makes it easier to find again.” Sue, Cleveland Heights, OH
“Loden led in such a gentle, open way and everyone responded so well. That made me feel so hopeful. In these times, that’s kind of rare, feeling hopeful like that. In the practice, itself, I loved Loden’s way of teaching. He would always turn it back to the person asking the question and ask them how they felt, what they thought; which was something that I really appreciated. One thing that I felt after a few days (and there were people who had never meditated before) was the energy in the room was so wonderful. Everyone was meditating in their way and that ignited hope in me, too. So, for me, it was a really uplifting experience.” Sue, Louisville, CO
Why Come Here?
If you’re looking for a place to rejuvenate, get in touch with your inner nature, and reconnect with the natural environment, DMC is for you. You’ll find healthy meals, friendly folks and an environment designed to support contemplative practice.
The teachings we use on meditation are drawn predominately from the tradition of shamatha, a Sanskrit word that means peaceful abiding. Shamatha predates Buddhism and has been practiced by people of many different spiritual traditions for thousands of years.
Shamatha helps us make friends with ourselves. Through peaceful abiding meditation, we can process and heal difficult emotions. It brings out our natural stability, clarity, and strength of mind and heart. For many, it’s a source of grounding and resiliency in life.
As practice progresses, particularly in the Weeklong Retreats, we bring in gentle vipashyana or “insight” techniques as well, which invite curiosity into the nature of our minds and experience and express the profound freedom of the Buddhist view, while again, remaining open to people of all walks of life and not requiring one to be a Buddhist.
In modern times, shamatha and vipashyana techniques have often been the inspiration for secular mindfulness approaches, as well as core elements of Buddhist practice.
The Path of Meditation is designed to support you according to your own wishes, with no prerequisites or commitments required. It’s about your practice, as you see fit, and we’re here to help however we can. We welcome and respect a wide range of interests and motivations.
Resources for Meditation • Articles by Loden
If you’d like to get a feel for our approach, or would like a refresher from a retreat you’ve attended, you may enjoy this eight-part series of articles introducing meditation practice. More resources are on the way!
Your Retreat Guide
Loden Nyima
Gelong Loden Nyima is a fully ordained Buddhist monk. He lived at Gampo Abbey from 2009 – 2017 where he practiced intensively, completed a cycle of advanced studies (Shedra), and served in various roles including as a senior teacher. He then lived at Drala Mountain Center from 2017 – 2023 where he served as Resident Teacher and a founding faculty member for many programs he continues to teach. He now lives in his hometown of San Antonio, TX, and will soon be opening dharma activities locally.